Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Cheeriest Place in the World

I just read an article online for the cheeriest place in the world, amazing as it seems I had it right on my first try, DENMARK! Was it a lucky guess? NO. Growing up with a Danish background the answer was "elementary my dear Watson". I never have met a happier person then my own Grandfather, born in Denmark, but grew up in America.

Though his life was far from easy, he always had a smile on his face. He was a farmer for most of his life, spent time working in logging camps up North, Graduated from the University of Minnesota, raised seven children on his own after the early loss of his wife. Worked hard up to the last day of his life at age 88.

He taught me to milk cows by hand when I was 5, the secret is to lean your head on the cows stomach and sing to it. lol It always seemed to work.

He told us the biggest, whopper stories you have ever heard, and would have us laughing until we cried. An art that he learned from his father, and working in those logging camps. One of my favorites was: "In Denmark they have the best farms in the world. The cows give such rich milk that when the farmers make butter they have to pile it in the yard. When someone comes to buy a pound of butter from them, the farmers wife has to climb up a ladder to the top of the butter hill, she tucks up her skirt and slides down the hill. Every thing you scrap off her bottom is a pound of butter."

What he taught us was, never take life or yourself to seriously. Life is short, enjoy everyday of it. A smile is the best gift you can give anyone.

1 comment:

LiberryGrrl said...

I LOVE this story! Thanks for sharing... Keep posting, I like to read, GRIN.